Tools

Heartless Bastards, Futurebirds, Wussy

When: Wed., Oct. 31, 8 p.m. 2012
Price: $16-18

Heartless Bastards have lived two lives—one in Cincinnati, the other in Austin after the breakup of singer-guitarist Erika Wennerstrom and bassist Mike Lamping. She found a new home, sidemen and band identity in Texas, exchanging taut garage rock for a more expansive sound. It's still a blues-based sound, just supplemented with a spaghetti western languor. The new approach comes into better focus on the band's latest, Arrow, the first recorded with her new backing crew. (She recruited pickup players for 2009's post-Cincy disc, The Mountain.) The moodier sound trades the bracing for the entrancing. Futurebirds and Wussy open the 8 p.m. show. —Chris Parker